


Sandcastles + Gabby's awakening

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: Robert week 2020 [3]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Family Fluff, Heart-to-Heart, M/M, Mindless Fluff, Soft Husbands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:01:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26002318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Robert week 2020day 3: Familya family holiday in the sun+ a midnight heart to heart
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Series: Robert week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883644
Comments: 1
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Seb is a little older here than in canon but it's still set around *now* - just go with it.

"Daddy!! Look!!” Seb yelled and Robert opened his eyes.

He’d been so close to falling asleep in his lounge chair on his own little patch of beach. He had one of his favourite books, a cold drink, Aaron’s overpriced sunglasses, and a bit of shade thanks to the beach umbrella they put up and it was as close to heaven as he could get without leaving earth.

And after spending half the night up with Seb who was nervous about sleeping somewhere that wasn’t home, he was looking forward to that nap while Aaron entertained their son.

Only the boy’s excited yelling put an end to those plans.

“Daddy look! It’s a castle!”

“Oh wow. You did that all on your own huh?” Robert asked, pushing himself up from his chair and walking over to Seb and Aaron’s masterpiece.

“Daddy helped.”

“Oh is that how it is? I helped? I think I did most of the work mister, while you only dug the moat.” Aaron teased him.

“That’s the most important part.” Robert grinned at Seb.

“Yeah!”

“Traitor.” Aaron joked and carefully climbed out of the sandcastle. “Alright?” he asked Robert and pressed a small kiss to his lips. “Did you get any sleep?”

“Not really. But it’s ok. We’ll just have an early night tonight. To sleep.” He emphasised when Aaron grinned and raised an eyebrow at his choice of words.

“Pity.”

“Play your cards right and you might get a special desert tonight. If we can get the girls to keep his lordship busy for a bit.”

“Sounds good. But I haven’t seen them all day so I think that’s off the table.”

“They’ll come back when they’re hungry.” Robert joked and turned to Seb who was still working on his sandcastle. “You know what I think? I think we should take a picture of your castle and send it to auntie Vic. So she can see what fun we’re having here.”

“Oh that’s a good idea, isn’t it Seb?” Aaron asked as Robert walked back to his chair to grab his phone.

They left Emmerdale and all its drama behind for two weeks and rented a house near the beach on the Spanish coast. It was supposed to be just the four of them, with Cain begrudgingly agreeing to take care of the post and the plants while they were away, but about 10 minutes before they were supposed to leave, Liv announced Gabby was coming too.

Thankfully they were driving, rather than flying and the house they rented had four bedrooms, so there was plenty of room for her.

Liv had mentioned something about needing someone sane to talk to if she had to spend two weeks with Robert and Aaron, and Gabby herself had just said she needed a break.

Robert had heard some talk here and there that Bernice wasn’t returning from Australia any time soon and noticed the for sale sign outside the salon, and figured that had to be tough for the girl, so they’d agreed to take her with them.

In the three days since they’d arrived, however, Liv and Gabby had spent most of their time hanging out on the beach with people they’d met there instead of at the house with Robert and Aaron, so they hardly knew she was there.

Seb didn’t mind though. He was more than happy to have his dads’ undivided attention.

“Daddy! Hurry!” Seb demanded, snapping Robert out of his thoughts.

“Yeah come on, Rob, hurry. We have to get the perfect picture for Vic and it’s not going to take itself.”

“And nana. She needs a picture too.”

“Nana too? Which nana? My mummy or daddy Robert’s mummy?”

“Both!” Seb announced happily.

“Alright we can do that.”

“Go on then, get in position the both of you.” Robert ordered, getting the camera ready.

“No it’s Seb’s castle, I wouldn’t want to take up any of the glory and attention.” Aaron joined Robert behind the camera. “Come on Seb, smile.”

The boy climbed into the sand castle and stood on the tips of his toes in what was supposed to be the castle’s courtyard to reach the top of one of the towers.

“This one is for auntie Vic.”

One picture turned into a full on photo session. Pictures of Seb posing with his sandcastle and in various poses on the beach and in the sea started filling up Robert’s phone.

Aaron joined in after a while and with the help of some passers by they got a few photos of the three of them too.

“That one is for nana!” Seb announced happily a while later as he sat between his dads in the sand, scrolling through all of the pictures they’d taken.

It was a picture of Seb pretending to be a monster attacking his castle.

Robert smiled and took the phone from him.

“Alright. We’ll send that to nana Chas then, nana Diane already got the other one.”

Seb nodded.

“Ok. And then Isaac needs one too.”

“We’ll send it to uncle Cain then, alright?” Aaron suggested. “Isaac’s daddy. He’ll make sure Isaac sees it.”

“Can Isaac come here too?” Seb asked innocently. “We can build another castle! A really big one! He can help.”

“Maybe next time, mate. It’s just the three of us and your auntie Liv now. And Gabby.”

“Yeah and Gabby is a little sad right now because she misses her mummy. So we have to be extra nice to her.” Robert told him. “We can do that, right?”

Seb nodded.

“She can come play in our castle too.”

“That’s really nice of you mate, I’m sure she’ll love that. You can tell her later when we get back to the house, ok?”

Seb nodded again and turned quiet for a moment.

“Is Gabby’s mummy in heaven too? Like my mummy?”

Robert and Aaron shared a look over Seb’s head. Neither of them were very religious but it had seemed the easiest way to explain to a toddler his mum wasn’t coming back.

Easier than the fact that his serial killer cousin had escaped from prison to finish what he’d started.

“No, no Gabby’s mummy is not in heaven.” Robert started. “She just lives really, really far away so Gabby can’t visit her. And that’s making her sad.”

“She can share my daddies.” Seb decided after a minute. He looked back and forth between his parents. “I have two, we can share.”

Robert laughed and kissed the top of Seb’s head.

“How did we end up with such a sweet kid like you eh?” He stood up and brushed the sand from his swim shorts. “Let’s go back to the house and tell her.”

Only before they could pack up their stuff, the two girls joined them on the beach.

Seb immediately clung to Gabby.

“We can share my daddies if you’re sad about your mummy.” He announced.

Gabby blinked in confusion and looked from Liv, to Aaron, to Robert, and back at Seb.

“Oh… uh… thank you. But I’m not sad now.” She told him. “I have all of you to make sure I’m not sad, right?”

“Daddy said your mummy lives really far away and you can’t visit.”

“That’s right. She lives in Australia. Do you know where that is?”

Seb shook his head.

“Come here, I’ll show you.” Gabby said and pulled up a map on her phone.

Together with Liv she turned it into a little geography lesson for the boy. Not only showing him Australia but also where they were now, where his auntie Chrissie lived, where Liv’s mum lived, and where home was.

Seb loved it all and made the two girls promise to take him to all of the places they’d shown him on the map.

“And this is where my mum lives.” Gabby showed him a picture on her phone. “And she saw that when she woke up one morning. It’s a Kookaburra. A bird that makes a really funny noise.”

Robert had settled down in the warm sand, using Aaron’s lap as a pillow, and letting the world pass him by, not really paying attention to the conversations.

“We’re going to have to start saving up.” Aaron joked softly while running his fingers through Robert’s hair. “He’s planning to travel the world.”

Robert hummed.

“Later.” He reached out for Aaron’s free hand and linked their fingers together. “I’m comfy here.” He felt more happy and content than he’d had in a long time. All the stress and drama from the past few months just leaving his body with every breath.

He felt Aaron shift and then his lips on his head.

“Get some sleep. Tonight you’re mine.”

Robert grinned but didn’t bother to open his eyes.

“I look forward to it.”


	2. Gabby's awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is 100% self indulgent and based on my headcanon that Gabby started stalking Leyla to break her and Liam up because she fancies Leanna.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is kind of a part 2 but also kind of a stand alone. I started writing it last night but then the first part of it sort of came to a natural end and I just scrapped the rest. Only it kept bouncing around my head and I decided to finish it after all. And it kind of got out of hand. As usual.

It was nearing the end of their holiday, they would be leaving in two days, and truth be told, Robert was ready to go. He’d loved the time away with his family but he was looking forward to the normal mundane things of their life in Emmerdale.

He woke up in the middle of the night and his throat felt like a desert. Careful to not wake Aaron, he slipped out of bed and made his way to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

When he reached the bottom step he noticed a faint light coming from the living room. He hadn’t heard Seb kick up a fuss and both Aaron and Liv were usually dead to the world as soon as their head hit the pillow, so he figured it would have to be Gabby.

He pushed open the door to the living room and saw the girl curled up on the sofa, staring out into the night.

“Hey… everything ok?” he asked softly, trying not to startle her.

She quickly wiped at her eyes, trying to hide the fact she’d been crying.

“I uh… just got up to phone my mum. Time difference you know.”

Robert nodded.

“How is she?”

“I don’t know. I uh couldn’t get a hold of her. She’s probably busy with Charlie. I’ll try again later.

“I was just going to get a glass of water but I think I fancy a brew now. Do you want one too?”

“Ah yeah sure… if you’re making anyway…” Gabby trailed off and followed him to the kitchen.

“So, have you enjoyed yourself out here?” Robert asked, trying to make small talk while they waited for the water to boil.

“Yeah, yeah it’s been great. Thanks for letting me come along at the last minute.”

“Sure thing. You’re family and we had plenty of room for you. And I suppose it was nicer for Liv to hang out with you than with the two of us and Seb.”

“I don’t know about that…” Gabby mumbled.

“You’ve not fallen out again have you?”

Gabby shook her head.

“No. I just… haven’t been the best friend I suppose.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I… I’m… I’m a mess.”

Robert snorted.

“Sorry. But… welcome to the club.”

Gabby gave him a small smile.

“Yeah… I guess I do fit in nicely.”

“Do you want to talk about why you’re such a mess?”

“I… it’s kind of a long story…”

“That’s ok. I’ve got time.”

“It’s… did you hear about Leyla having some kind of stalker? Someone setting up a profile on a dating app and trashing her office?”

“I think so… Do you know who it is?” Robert asked. “Please tell me it’s not Liv.”

“No… no it’s not Liv… it’s me.”

“You? Why?”

“Because… I wanted her and Liam to break up so mum would come back… at first.”

“At first?”

“I know now she’s not coming back… and I’ve… kind of accepted that… but… there is more.”

“Oh?” Robert busied himself pouring hot water on the tea bags and adding milk and sugar to the mugs.

“I… I wanted them to break up so Liam and Leanna wouldn’t move out of Diane’s. Or well… Leanna at least.” Gabby said, taking the mug Robert handed her and avoiding looking him in the eye.

“Leanna? Why?”

“Because… because I’m… I’m in love with her.”

“Oh. I didn’t know you liked girls.” Robert said, doing his best to keep a straight face.

“I… didn’t either. Not really. I mean… I’ve kissed boys before and all that… and I liked it.”

“So… do you think you’re bi?”

Gabby shook her head.

“No… I met a girl here… She’s from France… and we hit it off and well… we kissed… and uh more…” she blushed. “I can’t believe I’m telling you this…”

“You don’t have to tell me anything you’re not comfortable with. Maybe you should just talk to Liv in the morning.”

“Liv knows. But she doesn’t really get it… because she doesn’t like anyone like that. Boys or girls.”

Robert nodded.

“Alright. So you and that girl… are you dating or anything?”

“No. No, no, no. We uh… hooked up a few times… and it was great… but she’s gone home again and I just… really miss Leanna.” Gabby hid her face in her hands. “I’m such an idiot.”

“Do you think Leanna might feel the same?” Robert asked.

“She’s dating Jacob.”

“So? I was married to Chrissie when I fell in love with Aaron. It happens.”

“I wish it would.” Gabby sighed and pulled up a picture on her phone. “This is the French girl I met. Her name is Marie. Does she remind you of anyone?”

Robert looked at the girl in the picture. She had long blonde hair, tanned skin, some kind of tattoo on her arm and blowing a kiss at whoever took the picture.

“I don’t know? Some celebrity maybe?”

Gabby shook her head and turned her phone back to her to look up something else.

“This.” She showed Robert a picture of Leanna, taken at Diane’s by the looks of it, laughing at something. The French girl could easily be her cousin or other long lost relative.

“Oh. Oh you’ve got it bad don’t you?”

Gabby nodded sadly.

“I thought it would go away. That it was nothing. That I just liked having her around to have someone my own age to talk to…”

“But it’s more?” Robert guessed.

“Yeah… and then I thought it was just a crush because we spend so much time together and stuff… because I’ve always liked boys… but…” She shook her head. “When I kissed Marie it was… so much more than any other kiss I’ve ever had. She left last week and Liv and I went to this lesbian party she found online and uh… I’m definitely into girls.”

Robert smiled.

“Well I’m happy for you. That you’ve figured that part of yourself out.”

“Yes… but I’m in love with a straight girl!”

“You don’t know that. That she’s straight I mean. I used to say I was straight… and I’m definitely not.” Robert grinned. “My past self would have a heart attack at the thought of being married to a man.”

“But it all worked out for you in the end.”

“Who says it won’t for you? Leanna might feel the same.”

“I doubt it…”

“You don’t know that unless you ask her.”

“What? Just walk up to her and go “Hey Leanna, I’m kind of in love with you and I really want to kiss you.” And then plant one on her?”

Robert laughed.

“Maybe not exactly like that. But you could try telling her you’re into girls… and then see what she says and take it from there.”

Gabby didn’t look too thrilled at that thought but didn’t say anything.

“And if she doesn’t feel the same… that’ll suck but you’ll get over it eventually. And find a girl who wants to kiss you as much as you want to kiss her.” Robert said and got up to hug her. “And if you ever want to talk… you can always come over to ours. I like to think I’m a decent listener.”

“Thanks.”

“No need to thank me. You’re family. We look out for each other.” Robert said and drained the last of his tea. “I think I’m going to head back to bed. Try to get some sleep too. You’re not going to pull any fit girls looking like a zombie.”


End file.
